
Why Paying Attention Makes You A Better Writer
Why is paying attention important for writers? Discover how observation can generate ideas and help you create better stories.

7 Things Dialogue Can Do In Your Story
Discover 7 ways to use dialogue in your story and learn how to make every conversation work harder for your characters and readers.

6 Tips For Writing Better Scene Transitions
Learn how to write better scene transitions with six simple tips and examples. Keep your story flowing and avoid confusing your readers.

What Is Steampunk? How To Write Steampunk Fiction
What is steampunk fiction? Discover its key themes, characters, technology, and conflicts, plus tips to write your own steampunk story.

4 Super Easy Ways To Create Characters For Short Stories
In short stories, we have less time to develop characters. In this post, we cover 4 super easy ways to create characters for short stories

The MacGuffin And Chekhov’s Gun: 2 Literary Devices Writers Should Know
Learn how writers use these literary devices – The MacGuffin and Chekhov’s Gun – to create suspense, drive plots, and keep readers hooked.

What Is Visual Storytelling? 10 Essential Techniques Every Writer Should Know
What is visual storytelling? Discover 10 essential visual storytelling techniques writers can use to create emotion, tension, and unforgettable characters in fiction.

What Is Mood? 140 Words To Describe Mood In Fiction
What is mood in fiction? Learn how to create it, with examples, and discover 140 words to describe mood in your writing.

5 Essential Exercises For Writing Dialogue
We are posting a series of Essential Writing Exercises. This post includes five essential exercises for writing dialogue.

What Is Fantasy Fiction? Plus A Fantasy Book Title Generator
Do you want to write fantasy? We answer the question: What is fantasy fiction? And we include a fantasy book title generator for writers.

Who Are The 3 Characters Driving Your Plot?
Who is responsible for moving the story along in your books? In this post, we write about the three characters driving your plot.

So You Want To Be A Writer? By Charles Bukowski
This post includes a poem from Charles Bukowski on wanting to be a writer.

Is There Merit In Telling And Not Showing?
In this post, we explore if there is merit in telling and not showing in the books you write. Danielle Steel, who has sold 1

5 Ways Setting Affects Your Characters
Setting shapes us, and where we were born and where we grew up make a difference. We have put together a list of 5 ways

3 Ways To Use Inverted Dialogue In Your Story
In this post, we discuss three ways to use inverted dialogue in your story.

3 Lines To A Better First Draft Of Your Novel
We talk about writing 3 lines to help you write a better first draft of your novel. It is a great test for your story

Short Story Day Africa – 21 June
‘Short Story Day Africa has established a day, 21st June – the shortest day of the year – on which to celebrate the diversity of

5 Ways To Kick-Start Your New Short Story
Are you struggling to start your short story? In this post, we give you 5 ways to kick-start your short story.

How To Identify Your Protagonist And Antagonist
If you are writing a story, we have put together this post to help you identify your protagonist and antagonist in more detail.

Neil Gaiman On Making Good Art
In this post, we’ve shared advice from British author, Neil Gaiman on making good art.